Mentorship is not for the faint of heart, and for Darryca Brim, it’s a calling that goes deeper than just guiding young girls—it’s about healing generational wounds and creating safe spaces where they can thrive. As the founder of Focus Fairies Mentoring, Brim has made it her mission to uplift young girls through personal development, leadership, and violence prevention. But her journey into mentorship didn’t begin with a business plan—it started with personal pain.
“I always go back to my ten-year-old self, and that ten-year-old girl that a lot of times felt alone, abandoned, and didn’t have somebody to really walk alongside me in life,” Brim shared. “I had to become a caregiver early, raising nieces and nephews. Yes, I became successful, but I also struggled in silence. I thought, if I can reach back to help one girl find her wings and soar in the world of adversity, then my mission is accomplished.”
Facing Trauma Head-On
Darryca's passion stems from her own childhood experiences—growing up feeling abandoned and without a support system, she understands firsthand how critical it is for young women to have guidance. Rather than simply moving past her struggles, she chose to turn them into a foundation that would uplift others.
However, working in this space comes with its own emotional toll. Darryca has found that mentorship often requires her to relive parts of her own past. This is especially true when she works with young women in the juvenile detention system, a space that immediately reminds her of visiting her own father, who was incarcerated throughout her life. These moments trigger deep emotional responses, but they also reaffirm why she does the work—so that these young girls don’t have to navigate their challenges alone.
“My dad was incarcerated all of my life. As a child, I remember visiting him in those spaces, and every time I go visit some of the girls in JDC, it’s a trigger for me. When those doors close, I flashback, and I feel something inside of me,” she revealed. “I still struggle in that area because I never got closure from my dad before he passed.”
In addition to that, Brim has experienced firsthand the devastating impact of violence. “I’ve lost my best friend. I just recently lost my cousin, my nephew… some of our participants have lost their lives,” she said. “That’s triggering within itself. Yes, I am a mentor, but I also have to stay in my work and stay in therapy to continue in this space.”
The Work of Focus Fairies Mentoring
Darryca’s work focuses on reaching girls between the ages of 7 and 18, ensuring they have access to mentorship that nurtures their confidence, emotional well-being, and leadership potential. Through Focus Fairies Mentoring, she and her team provide structured programs designed to address these challenges holistically. The program is built on four core pillars:
Youth Development & Youth Empowerment
Creative Expression & Spirituality
Career Readiness & Education
Violence Prevention & Safety
Receiving state funding to support violence prevention in North Lawndale, Brim’s organization has impacted over 250 individuals, connecting them with resources, therapy, and job opportunities. But funding is only one part of the equation—building the right team is just as important.
“We have mentors who do one-on-one work with our girls. If it’s more intensive, we reach out to those with specialized skills—trauma-informed care training, DCFS training—because you don’t want to work with a girl and say something that’s triggering. It has happened before,” she emphasized.
Healing the Mentors & the Mentees
Beyond her work with Focus Fairies, Darryca is a strong advocate for mental health, especially in the Black community. She openly shares her journey with therapy, emphasizing that healing is an ongoing process. She believes in the power of self-reflection and acknowledges that to be an effective mentor, she must also continuously work on herself. Setting boundaries, stepping back when needed, and prioritizing her well-being have become crucial elements of her sustainability as a leader.
In addition to her mentorship work, she founded The She Treat Experience, a retreat designed for women to recharge, heal, and reconnect with themselves. What started as a personal self-care practice turned into a full-fledged experience for women seeking restoration. Over the years, She Treat has taken women to destinations like Greece and the Bahamas, with the upcoming retreat planned for Bali. These experiences allow women to step away from the daily pressures of life and invest in their mental and emotional well-being.
“She Treat really came from me needing to treat myself. I was burnt out. I took myself on a staycation, did yoga, and just relaxed. Then I thought, other women might need this too.”
What’s Next? Growing Beyond Chicago
Darryca’s vision for the future extends beyond Chicago. She is focused on expanding Focus Fairies into a national and even global movement, ensuring that young women everywhere have access to mentorship and resources that can change the trajectory of their lives. To achieve this, she is actively seeking funding, multi-year grants, and mentorship to guide the organization into its next phase of growth. She recognizes that while she has built something impactful, sustainable growth requires strategic planning and support from those who have navigated similar paths.
“We’re eight years in. We’ve raised over half a million dollars. Now, I’m looking for a mentor to take us to the next level. I need someone who can expand my thinking beyond Chicago—nationally and globally,” she said. “There’s so much work to be done for young women who have experienced trauma, and I want Focus Fairies to be a leader in that space.”
Her ultimate dream? Sustainable funding and multi-year grants to remove the stress of scrambling for support year after year. “It’s about longevity and real impact,” she said.
Final Words of Wisdom
Despite the weight of her work, Darryca remains committed to the mission. She understands that mentorship isn’t just about providing advice—it’s about being present, creating safe spaces, and showing young women that they are valued. Her story is one of resilience, transformation, and the power of reaching back to lift others. Through Focus Fairies and She Treat Experience, she continues to fearlessly empower one woman at a time, ensuring that every girl she encounters knows she is capable, worthy, and never alone.
When asked what keeps her going, Brim’s response was simple but powerful:
“I don’t know if I have a favorite quote, but I tell myself: I am enough. And when I’m not enough, that’s enough too.”
For a woman who has built a legacy of empowerment, those words are a testament to her journey—one of resilience, healing, and lifting as she climbs.
More info and full interview : https://youtu.be/nR_SeTWhWxc